The Great Central Railway's double track project was the brainchild of David Clarke, a retired local businessman and long time supporter of the line.

David Clarke wished to recreate the atmosphere of a typical signal box on the Great Central/Great Western Joint line, with associated double track and long passing loops emulating a four track main line. The site chosen for this ambitious project was Swithland Sidings, the former junction for the Mountsorrel quarry branch.

The initial scheme, whilst impressive, would have resulted in an isolated section of double track and was extended to include relaying the second line between Rothley and Quorn to give a worthwhile length of double track main line. This was later extended to include the Quorn to Loughborough section, a total of some 5.5 miles of double line.

It is the Great Central Railway's long term objective to extend the double track over the full 8 mile distance to Leicester North. Allied with the company policy of running large locomotives, the ambience of a main line steam railway will truly be captured.

The Project so far

The project started with the clearance of the Swithland Sidings site, which in 1990 was a wasteland with only the former up line running through and a ruined building. Track was initially laid on the previous down line formation from the north end of Rothley and through Swithland, loops being added on both down and up sides of the line at Swithland. Several staged extensions of the track saw Quorn station reached in 1996. The completed down line between Quorn and Rothley has been used for works trains, photographic specials and most notably for acceptance testing of 1500v DC locomotives for the Hong Kong Metro. Limited public passenger working commenced in 1997 using a diesel multiple unit between Quorn and Swithland.

Prior to laying the track, the formation was excavated and new bottom ballast laid. Flatbottom rail on concrete sleepers is laid as standard to minimise maintenance and maximise strength, the railway having a 22.5 ton axle loading is capable of running the heaviest locomotives. Work commenced on doubling the line between Quorn and Loughborough in January 1997, with excavation of the former down line formation. The excavated material comprising dirty ballast was taken to Swithland Sidings where it was cleaned and then it was returned to form the bottom ballast for the new line. The operation was speedily completed, taking two weeks for the 2 mile length of works, and was notable for the use of the double track between Quorn and Swithland by a pair of works trains, one hauled by the Gresley Society's N2 tank locomotive no 69523.

The signal box at the south end of Aylesbury station was recovered and rebuilt at Swithland with a new brick base. Adjacent to the signal box, a relay room and mess building was constructed, designed in a style sympathetic to the original Great Central buildings on the line. The former goods shed was restored for use by the Signal and Telegraph department as a workshop. Extensive sidings were laid for stock storage. A feature of the GCR/GWR Joint line was its use of GWR lower quadrant signals and the installation at Swithland Sidings will also utilise this type.

The most complex element of the works was the remodelling of the south end of Loughborough Station. Several new turnouts and two carriage sidings capable of holding 14 coaches were laid. Two brick relay rooms were constructed (again in Great Central style) for the signalling alterations and fitted out. The relay rooms are required due to power working of the complicated layout, including 9 motor worked turnouts. One signal has a bracket outreach of some 6 metres and is bolted to a base containing 17 tons of concrete. Another signal was rebuilt from an ex-LNER lattice bracket signal recovered from Leicester Central Station.

The total scheme was completed in 2000. Our attentions are now turning to the completion of the signalling for Swithland sidings, including improvements to the track layout and the provision of further sidings. An exciting recent development has been the prospect of re-laying and connecting part of the old branch to Mountsorrel Quarry – which was the reason for the existence of Swithland sidings in the first place.